There are several known types of hold open mechanisms designed to retain a hinged vehicle door in a hold open position. One type of hold open mechanism provides a frictional force to retain a vehicle door in at least one, and often several, hold open positions. The frictional hold open force is commonly generated by a metal surface sliding relative to a frictional material that has both a high static coefficient of friction and a low sliding coefficient of friction, such as nylon or polyurethane. This cooperation of a metal surface and a frictional material gives both a good frictional force and good wear characteristics. The most common structure for such a friction type mechanism, therefore, includes a metal member, such as an arm or strap, joined to either the vehicle body structure or the door. As the door is opened or closed, the surface of the metal member slides relative to frictional material on a friction member that is joined to the door or the body structure. The frictional material and the metal member are often resiliently engaged together to enhance generation of the frictional force. Often, the metal member is designed to be engaged by the friction member over all, or a substantial portion, of the range of motion of the door. Such a friction type hold open is generally referred to as an infinite position hold open because it has the potential to retain the door in a theoretically infinite number of hold open positions. Friction type hold open mechanisms of the type discussed above are disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,345,680 to Slattery, 2,882,548 Roethel, 3,584,333 Hakala, and 2,992,451 Schonitzer. A similar mechanism is disclosed in the patent to Bachmann U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,481, although it shows metal frictionally rubbing directly on metal.
With any of these structures, a problem is presented with modern assembly and painting processes. Coating the metal vehicle body structure and door with primer is best done by a process in which the surfaces of these parts are given an electrostatic charge. It is also desirable that all structures to be secured to the body structure and door be so secured before the priming process. Essentially any metal that may be practically used and fabricated will be electrically conductive. The hold open mechanisms described above would, therefore, if secured to the body structure and door before the priming process, also receive a coating of primer on the metal surfaces that engage the frictional material. Such a coating would have to be removed to regain the necessary frictional characteristics, a potentially time consuming and expensive assembly step. Providing insulators between the metal metal member and vehicle body structure or door would be more costly, as well as impractical. The most secure attachment will generally involve metal contacting metal at some point, which is conductive.